Silence
by Incensio Lady
Summary: A drabble series of the progressing relationship between our favourite squints. ZachJack Slash.
1. Silence

Author: Nox  
Title: Silence  
Pairing: Jack/Zach  
Disclaimer: Don't own any of it, woe is me.  
Warnings: Slash  
A.N. Post Epish for Man With the Bone. Saw the lack of Jack/Zach love and took it as a challenge, not the best thing I've written but oh well.

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The car was dead silent; Zach usually filled every inch with innocent exuberance and inane babble, babble that in its absence was more annoying than in its presence. Jack glanced over as his strangely quite passenger; Zach seemed mesmerized by the water drops forming rivers down the window. Jack's eyes flicked across to Zach, taking in the hunched shoulders and the body turned away from him. Dr Brennan may not have put much faith in psychiatry but Jack agreed with Booth, a lot could be understood of a person by their body language. Something was bothering Zach and whatever it was Zach _really_ didn't want Jack to know what was going on. 

Jack pulled up at the garage and reached out his hand to shake Zach who was still staring dazed out of the window. The moment his hand touched Zach's shoulder he regretted it, Zach's already tense muscles jerked and his hands clenched. Jack pulled his hand back quickly, shock and pain flashing across his face. Jack scowled.

"What the hell is wrong with you, normally you're babbling a hundred miles an hour and tonight you haven't said a word, is it because I found some treasure and you didn't get a chance? Is that it, are you jealous?" Zach turned towards Jack.

"No! It's historically interesting and an important find, but I don't care who found it, and I can't dive anyway." Jack smirked.

"Then why are you so non verbal tonight, come to think of it that last sentence is the most you've said to me all day, ever since I found the coin." Anger flashed across Zach's face.

"You think that's all I care about, artifacts and bones! What else happened that night? Yeah someone threatened to kill you…to...to cut off your air and leave you to drown. It's bad enough Dr Brennan does fieldwork, but she has Agent Booth and even if they won't give her a gun she's still pretty strong, but you're the bug and slime guy you don't do fieldwork and you could have died." Zach stopped his rant and noticed Jack's to-wide eyes and the dawning understanding on his face and he crumpled back into his seat. Jack shook his head, smirk curling the corner of his mouth.

"You were worried about me." Zach shrunk back further into his chair and Jack smiled.

"What are you getting all fidgety about then, you were worried about a friend, no big deal." And then he saw the look on Zach's face.

"Oh." Zach cringes and starts to babble.

"I know, anthropologically it's an aberration and I know and you're straight and I promise I won't try and…" Jack smiles and leans towards Zach, who flinches. Jack's lips quirk.

"Well you're not exactly as straight as I thought you were Zach." Zach's eyes widened as Jack lent in and kissed him. He was still speechless as Jack lent back, watching him. He must have seen a positive reaction in Zach's face because he leant back in his chair and turned the engine back on.

"Would you like to come up to the house?" Zach nodded. Jack pulled out into the driveway and Zach's brain restarted, he began a steady stream of babble which filled the car.

Jack smiled.


	2. Uncertainty

Author: Nox  
Title: Uncertainty  
Pairing: Jack/Zach  
Disclaimer: Don't own any of it, woe is me.  
Warnings: Slash  
A.N. Ok so this has become the beginnings of a series or series of drabbles, depending on how I feel, you can thank the reviewer, who's name I apologise but have forgotten, who poked me for more. So here it is.

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Jack pulled the car to a stop in the house garage. Jack smiled, turned off the engine and stepped out of the car. Zach bounced out of the car and towards Jack until he was standing close enough to touch. But he didn't. Jack smiled, he reached out and slid his arm around Zach's slim waist. Zach shivered, he leant closer to the taller man, molding his body alongside Jack's. Jack felt his chest tighten, and he stood for a moment, silently, holding Zach, goddamn he'd wanted this for so long. Jack could almost hear Zach's mind whirling, he knew that as soon as the younger man regained his equilibrium he'd be barraged with all the questions building in his head. However as he took Zach's hand and lead him into the house he could feel the uncertainty and vulnerability that was growing in Zach now that had processed the meaning of what was happening. Jack's heart jumped again as he glanced at the openness of Zach's face, even with all the horror and evil they were exposed to, Zach still retained an innocence and optimism that took his breath away. Jack cursed himself for having dismissed the notion of a relationship with Zach, convinced, after subtle inquiries that Zach had no interest in him. Jack lead them to the living room while still wrapped in his thoughts, Zach following behind him still clutching onto his hand. Snapping out of his thoughts Jack finally noticed the growing uncertainty on Zach's face. His stomach dropped, and pain flashed across his face as he stepped away from Zach. 

The uncertainty on Zach's face changed to confusion as Jack stepped away and then to anger as Jack let go of his hand. Pain swirled in his chest and tears pricked his eyes as he stumbled away from the curly haired man. His face contorted as he forced the tears back stared disbelievingly at Jack.  
"I thought you were a friend, and that you…you might…but you don't…you just wanted to mess with me, I should have known. Was it a joke? Did you think it would be fun to make me think.." His voice broke a little. "…Think that maybe someone finally cared about me?" Zach spun around and ran from the house, the tears finally falling.

Jack stood stunned for a moment before taking off after him, by the time he caught up with Zach he was in the rain and part way down the driveway. He grabbed the brunette's shoulder and stumbled back as Zach threw back his elbow and caught Jack in the stomach.

"Don't…don't touch me!" Jack doubled over as the wind was knocked out of him. He stood, wheezing trying to regain his breath. Zach, realizing Jack had stopped following him turned and caught sight of him doubled over struggling to breathe. Even through his anger the thought that he had hurt Jack chilled him. He ran back towards Jack.  
"Are…are you alright…I didn't mean to…I mean I did…but…" Jack smiled.

"Idiot," He coughed. "I let go of you because you looked like you were freaking and I thought you were having second thoughts." Zach stood completely still.

"You mean you actually…" Jack laughed softly.

"You are the most socially inept man I have ever met." He shook his head in disbelief. "I spent the first two weeks you were in the lab flirting with you, but you never said anything so I assumed you weren't interested and I gave up." Jack pulled the younger man against him, he rubbed his thumb over Zach's cheek and leant in to kiss him. Zach's mouth opened underneath his and he felt Zach's tongue shyly flick against his own. Zach's hands were on his shoulders, fingers digging into the muscle, clutching at him. He slid his hand down Zach's face before gripping the back of his neck, the other fell to the small of Zach's back and pulled Zach flush against him. Zach broke the kiss with a breathy moan. He looked up at Jack with wide brown eyes, wet hair falling in his face, lips red. God, Jack could feel his cock twitch at the mere sight of him. His voice cracked embarrassingly as he spoke.

"It's a bit wet out here, would you like to come in and get dry?" Zach smiled, innocently, captivatingly and let Jack lead him back to the house.


	3. Coming Out

Author: Nox  
A/N: Sorry this took so long, I got distracted by a few other stories. Enjoy.

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Zach woke slowly, he was warm and comfortable and he knew he didn't have to work today. He could feel Jack's arm thrown over his chest and his warm breath against his neck. 

The first time they'd woken up like this Zach had been uncomfortable, he hadn't known what to do, was he supposed to lie there or get up? He'd never understood why people did it? Why did they want to lie in bed and wait for someone to wake up? He was still lying there when Jack woke up and pulled Zach back against him. Jack's warm kiss on his neck and feeling the rumble of "Morning" against his back made him suddenly understand. The did it because lying like that, pulled up against Jack was the best Zach had ever felt.

It was five months since that first kiss, they hadn't dated, neither of them were much good at it. But Zach's clothes had moved into Jack's room, pictures of Zach's family were on the dresser and the only books left in the apartment were the ones he never read. No one really noticed any difference. Zack and Jack still arrived together and left together, they were both as consumed by their work through the day as they had ever been. And no one important ever called Zach's home phone so nobody noticed that it was never answered now.

But, it wasn't going to last much longer and all because Booth thought Zach needed a girlfriend.

They were sitting at the bar in Wong Fu's, they'd just finished a case and Booth had taken all the squints to celebrate. Booth was sitting next to Zach and had started to quiz him about his love life.

"So you don't have a girlfriend?"

"No, not a girlfriend…but…" Zach stuttered and Booth cut him off and turned to Angela.

"He needs a girlfriend." Angela looked at Zach and nodded.

"You do sweetie, I know you love your work but you need a life outside the lab." Zach tried to protest but she cut him off. "Yes you do, I have a friend I think you'll like, she's single at the moment." She pulled out her phone.

Jack had been growing more agitated as they continued talking, he knew they thought they were helping Zach but they wouldn't even let him talk. When Angela started dialling he decided it had gone far enough. Jack reached past Angela and pulled Zach against him. He kissed him slow and deep, loving the light exhalation Zach made when kissed like this. He pulled back and looked at Angela.

"He doesn't need a girlfriend, he's got me."

Booth reacted much as they had thought he would, uncomfortable, skittish, yet outwardly accepting.

Dr Brennan looked at them for a moment before beginning to explain to Booth the presence of homosexuality in the development of civilisation.

Angela was excited and terribly disappointed with both of them for keeping it from her. She was in love with the idea of the two of them, pestering them incessantly for details and finding the whole thing thrilling and romantic.

But the tense glances from Booth came less frequently as the night passed, Angela began to accept that they weren't going to be providing any more information then they had already given, Dr Brennan moved onto a different subject. The night finished much as it would have had they not just come out, they got into Jack's car and drove home together, the only difference was the salacious wink Angela gave them as they left.


End file.
